1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a Biological deodorizing apparatus assembled with box-like frame units, especially to a deodorizing apparatus which can be easily constructed in suitable size according to amount and characteristics of gas to be treated and space where to be installed.
2. Prior Art
Typical malodorous materials causes at a sewage treatment place are these three types, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and organic sulfuric compound (methyl mercaptane, methyl sulfide, methyl disulfide), and objective of deodorizing is to reduce these malodorous materials to the density where they are not perceived as odor.
In Japan, threshold densities and regulation bases are stated for 22 types of material in prevent odor low by the ministry of environment. Regarding to odor causes at a sewage treatment place, hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptane, methyl sulfide, methyl disulfide, ammonia, and trimetylamine, are mainly considered, so that designing targets of a deodorizing apparatus are settled at those 6 materials. However, in practice, trimetylamine is hardly detected and designing targets are settled at rest 5 materials.
Odor is multiple smell of these 5 materials, and removing odor means reducing these 5 materials to the density where they are not perceived as odor.
Because the extent of odor deeply relates to the sensing level of human (threshold), threshold densities and regulation bases for 5 material are stated in prevent odor low by the ministry of environment as shown in below table. 1.
The odor intensity is described as follow.
1xe2x80x94Smell which can be perceived with difficulty (sensing threshold.)
2xe2x80x94Tiny smell which can be distinguished as what smell is (recognizing threshold.)
2.5xe2x80x94To make the density below the value shown in above table become regulated base in residential area.
3xe2x80x94Smell which can be perceived easily.
3.5xe2x80x94To make the density below the value shown in above table become regulated base in industrial area.
4xe2x80x94Strong smell.
5xe2x80x94heavy smell.
The odor intensity 2.5 regulated as base in residential corresponds to odor density 300 (density which can""t be perceived by being diluted to 300 times of volume). Though the odor intensity 4 and 5 is out of question because of being awful odor, in the case where odor intensity exceeds 3, a complaint about odor is always made by residents. Therefore, the deodorizing apparatus is required having capacity to remove the smell to the level below smell intensity 2.5.
At the present time, ordinary methods used for deodorizing apparatuses installed at sewage treatment places are washing by liquid chemicals and absorbing by activated carbon, then these methods have left a lot of results and been evaluated properly. However these two methods have some problems as described below.
(1)The Method of Washing by Liquid Chemicals
The method of washing by liquid chemicals requires daily maintenance of medical density of washing liquid and has many problems about maintenance such that solid material (blocking material) suddenly causes in abnormal reaction between odor material and liquid chemicals in the case where the maintenance is failed. Ordinary, as seen that activated carbon devices are always installed (follows as later treating) behind the method of washing by liquid chemicals, it is guessed that the method of washing by liquid chemicals is low reliable and unstable. Further, demand of liquid chemicals increases in proportional to gas amount and odor material density, and maintenance cost is not negligible. Furthermore, in the method of washing by liquid chemicals, because portion of washing recycling liquid must be replaced, there is a problem that treatment of replaced waste liquid including the replaced liquid chemicals must be considered as a part of equipment.
(2) The Method of Absorbing by Activated Carbon
On the other hand, the method of absorbing by activated carbon is suitable for deodorizing low density odor. However, because it absorbs odor physically, all of activated carbon must be replaced with new one when it is saturated. The cost also, similar to the liquid chemicals, increases in proportional to the gas amount and the odor material density, and the maintenance cost becomes heavy burden.
(3) The Method of Biological Deodorizing
These years, research and development about biological deodorizing uses physiological function of absorbing malodorous materials by living organisms are prosperous, and it is verified by actual apparatus that living organisms are superior to remove malodorous materials such as hydrogen sulfide or organic sulfuric compounds cause at the sewage treatment place. Then it is to be recognized that the biological deodorizing is effective.
Comparing to the conventional methods of washing by liquid chemicals or absorbing by activated carbon, the deodorizing apparatus applying physiological metabolism by which microorganisms absorb malodorous materials does not require cost for chemicals and activated carbon either cost for maintenance such as labors cost for supplying medical liquid or replacing activated carbon, and is maintenance free and environmentally harmless apparatus. Further, comparing to the methods of washing by liquid chemicals and absorbing by activated carbon being inferior to treat high density gas, the microorganisms can work well in high density, and naturally be expected to be alternative. Deodorizing in future is, in spite of density or amount of treating gas, seems to be entrusted to biological deodorizing one by one at all.
However, deodorizing rate of living organism is extremely slower than washing by liquid chemicals or absorbing by activated carbon and the apparatus needs to be 2.5 times as large as washing by liquid chemicals or 1.5 times as large as activated carbon device. Most of current apparatus is sized at each of designing according to treating gas amount and odor material density, and then constructed by hand at the construction site.
Ordinary, deodorizing apparatus is installed indoors. Because normal height under beam of sewer equipment is 6.5 m in Japan (about 7 m in Western countries), height of apparatus must be in range where washing nozzle set on topside can be inspected without difficulty.
Recently, without installing several apparatuses at each section divided by each source, high and low range density gas tend to be mixed and treated at the same time. Then large capacity of range from 500 m3/min to 1000 m3/min is started to be in demand. Such a situation causes problem of impossibility of installing in space for conventional biological deodorizing apparatus having capacity of about 200 m3/min. Further, there is another problem that the deodorizing apparatus using living organism requires long culturing term to bring its ability into full work.
A gas-flow-in area (frontagexc3x97height) is widen to meet increase of treating amount. In the case where gas density goes high, number of deodorizing units is increased and apparatus becomes longer. No one raise an objection to the fact that running cost for biological deodorizing is less than one tenth of the cost for washing by liquid chemicals or activated carbon device, and it is ideal apparatus without the maintenance trouble nor the pollution problem. Then problems mentioned above are expected to be solved. Though an apparatus is evaluated by products cost and running cost, the objective of present invention is to provide an apparatus which can be constructed in size fits for limited space and whose cost is also low.
The biological deodorizing apparatus assembled with box-like frame units of the present invention has an inlet portion of malodorous gas, a treating portion and an outlet portion in a series, and relates to a deodorizing apparatus which biologically deodorizes gas in said treating portion. This is ordinary type.
Each of frames of said inlet portion, said treating portion and said outlet portion is composed of one or more same box-like frame units constructed by connecting uniformly shaped frame members and at least one type of uniformly shaped joints. Considering the joints, they are classified to the type of connecting the frame members perpendicularly at corner and the type of connecting the frame members on same axis line. Then in the case where an opening area is widen, the frame members are possibly connected on same axis line. Therefore, the expression xe2x80x9cat least one typexe2x80x9d is used. Similarly, considering the units, supposing both case where single unit is used or more than two units are used, the expression xe2x80x9cone or morexe2x80x9d is used.
Said box-like frame units"" open surfaces being obstructive of gas treating are sealed with seal panels. The xe2x80x9copen surfaces being obstructive of gas treatingxe2x80x9d are such surfaces through which gas leaks outside without being treated.
Said inlet portion is provided with a gas inlet opening and a humidifier.
Said treating portion is composed of said box-like frame units containing cartridges which can be pulled out free in horizontal direction and whose outer frames are set by several porous plastic sheets in parallel with each other at a distance.
As already known, these porous plastic sheets are what for collective microorganism fixing system. Though single body of this cartridge can be used alone, by connecting several cartridges as one body, treating capacity and handling ability are improved.
Said outlet portion is provided with a gas outlet opening. This gas outlet opening can be directly opened in air, or also can be connected to outlet pipe such as duct and opened in air through the pipe.
Then, according to type, amount and density of the gas, required number of said box-like frame units are connected, and said treating portion""s blow-off surface located upper on gas channel is connected to lower located blow-in surface of said treating portion or said outlet portion in airtight condition, and then open surfaces being obstructive of gas treating are sealed with seal panels. Said gas inlet opening is connected to a source of the malodorous gas, said gas outlet opening is opened in air, and on said treating portion nozzle headers are placed and connected to a water supply pipes, and then below said treating portion and said outlet portion receiving plates are placed and connected to water draining pipes.
 less than The Inlet Portion (The Inlet Chamber) greater than 
This portion is the chamber locates at the most front portion of the apparatus, and on its ceiling portion, end wall, or side wall, has a opening which connects to duct. Its inside is provided with a spray to supply water required for microorganisms to exist and kept in the condition where humidity is always 100 percent. Further, at exit side of this inlet portion, regulator screen is preferably provided to let gas flow uniformly to following treating portion.
 less than The Treating Portion (The Deodorizing Cartridge) greater than 
This portion locates at center of apparatus, and includes one or more cartridges. Number of cartridges is decided to be required number according to the type of gas and its density. Between each deodorizing cartridge and on the backside of rearmost deodorizing cartridge, demister screens are preferably arranged. Then, washing water being flowed on sheets in planed order to keep environment for microorganisms living on the sheets contained in deodorizing cartridges can be preferably avoided from scattering to next cartridge.
 less than The Outlet Portion (The Outlet Chamber) greater than 
This portion is the chamber locates at the rearmost portion of the apparatus, and where the gas treated at deodorizing cartridges is discharged. On its top portion, end portion, or side portion, an opening opened in air or connected to a duct is formed. The blow-off surface of the treating portion and a blow-in surface of this outlet portion are connected in airtight condition and gas is avoided from passing short cut and leaking outside without treated.
 less than The Sprinkle Headers (The Sheet Washing Nozzle Device) greater than 
A top portion of top layer of the deodorizing cartridges is provided with box-like frame units being as same as the one contains the cartridges, or similar box-like frame units constructed with frame members and joints whose size are modified. Open surfaces of these box-like frame units are sealed with seal panels, and inside of each cartridges is provided with motor operated valves and nozzle boxes to wash sheets automatically. Drain water is served in plates set at bottom portion, and discharged outside through water-draining pipes.
 less than The Substructure greater than 
This substructure (steal frame) is to support the deodorizing apparatus. This space is to contain pH meter for washing drain from cartridge containing sheets, flow meter for humidifying and washing water, supplying and draining pipes and so on.
The biological deodorizing apparatus assembled with box-like frame units of the present invention excludes inner waste space and is minimized in such size as comparable as apparatuses using washing by liquid chemicals or activated carbon device.
Especially, in the case of treating high density gas, though liquid chemicals or activated carbon requires multistage treatment and it has to make apparatus longer, applying biological deodorizing enables treating without making apparatus longer.
Further, by standardizing frame members and joints of each box-like frame unit of apparatus as modules, constructing box-like frame units at factory, and connecting box-like frame units at the construction site, production and transportation cost are drastically reduced.
Furthermore, by determining to use particular type of cartridges so that all of the deodorizing cartridges is standardized as single standard module having same size, it is possible to flexibly meet to any apparatuses of any size.
When apparatus applies sheets enable collective microorganism fixing in large quantities, for each kind of malodorous material, according to density, for each material density, the required number of sheets is decided whereby the deodorizing apparatus can be designed.
Preferably, said outlet portion follows auxiliary treating device having an activated carbon treating portion and a second outlet portion, and is to be connected to or shut off from said auxiliary treating device as said gas outlet opening opens or closes.
In this case, by closing the outlet opening at early operating stage where biological activation is not enough achieved, malodorous gas can be treated by the activated carbon thorough the auxiliary treating device, and incomplete treating can be avoided.
Preferably, said blow-off surface and said blow-in surface are connected by a hood in airtight condition.
In this case, inside of the blow-off surface and the blow-in surface can be easily kept in airtight condition.
Preferably, said blow-off surface belongs to a demister cartridge fixed at said cartridge.
In this case, because the cartridge and the demister cartridge are combined in one body, they are easily slid into and out box-like frame units and washing water being flowed on sheets does not scatter to next cartridge or outlet portion. So it is preferable. Further, gas is avoided from passing short cut.
Preferably, said hood consists of a portion for blow-off surface and a portion for blow-in surface, and both portions are detachably connected by a fastener.
In this case, because the hood splits to a portion for blow-off surface and a portion for blow-in surface, setting to each portion is easily achieved and they are easily combined in one body by fastener.
Preferably, said portion for blow-in surface is, at its rim portion on the other side of said fastener, fixed with respect to said frame members forming one of said open surfaces of said box-like frame unit.
In this case, because the portion for blow-in surface is fixed at the frame members, it is easily connected to the portion for blow-off surface. Enough airtight condition is also achieved.
Preferably, said frame member is plastic square tube whose ends of inner space function as joint portions.
In this case it can be made at low cost and easily molded. Then its ends can be used as joint portions.
Preferably, said joint is made of plastic and portions to be jointed with said joint portions of said frame member protrude from each of two or more adjacent surfaces of rectangular hexahedron main body so as each of axes are at right angles to each other.
In this case, it can be made at low cost and easily molded. Then it enables to connect each frame members vertically.
Preferably, said portion to be jointed is regular octahedron protrude whose one or more pairs of facing surfaces parallel a pair of facing surfaces of said joint and length between the facing surfaces of said regular octahedron protrude fits for inner length of said joint portion.
In this case, because a regular octahedron protrude is tightly inserted into an angular hall, it is easily inserted and tight contacting condition can be achieved.
Preferably, said portion to be jointed is cylindrical protrude whose outer diameter fits for inner length of said joint portion of said frame member.
In this case, because a cylinder is tightly inserted into an angular hole, their connecting condition is not obstructed by dimensional error in some degree.
Preferably, said portion to be jointed is square columnar protrude which is tightly inserted into said joint portion of said frame member.
In this case, though it is difficult to mold in some extent, it can be connected very tightly and resistance to vibration of earthquake is improved.
Preferably, said seal panel is shaped to fit for said open surface of said box-like frame unit, and a rim portion is fixed to said box-like frame unit by rivets so as said open surface is sealed.
In this case, the seal panel is easily fixed to the box-like frame units, and the open surface is sealed in airtight condition by simple way.
Preferably, an outer surface of said seal panel is covered by an outer wall panel fixed to said box-like frame unit with heat insulator provided on its inner surface.
In this case, because temperature is restrained from changing at inside of the box-like frame unit by outer wall panel with heat insulator, living environment for microorganisms is kept ideal and gas is effectively deodorized.
Preferably, said outer wall panel is fixed to said box-like frame unit by binders, said binder is made of plastic, has fins at one end of a stem, and has an inner head portion and an outer head portion at the other end. Then preferably, Length between said inner and outer head portions fits for thickness of a round frame of said outer wall panel, while outer diameter of said outer head portion is smaller than inner diameter of a circular potion of keyhole perforating through the round frame on inner surface of said outer wall panel, and inner length of a lock portion which continues to said circular portion is smaller than outer diameters of said inner and outer head portions. Then preferably, said fins are elastically deformed and allow said stem to be pressed into a through hole perforating through said box-like frame units.
In this case, after hooking the binders temporally at the lock portions of the keyholes of the round frame by its inner and outer head portions and putting the outer wall panel on the outer surface of seal panel, by hitting the outer surface of outer wall panel as placing the top edges of the stems of the binders at the through holes, the binders are driven into the through holes, and fins pass deforming elastically through the through holes. After passing the through holes, fins are returned to its original states, and the outer wall panel is prevented from falling off the box-like frame unit. Therefore, the outer wall panel is easily and certainly fixed at the box-like frame unit.
Preferably, said cartridge is placed across inside of said box-like frame unit being pulled out free by placing rollers of said outer frame on horizontal guides provided at said box-like frame unit.
In this case, because the cartridge is slid into and out the box-like frame unit in horizontal direction, top portion of the apparatus can be located close to ceiling without causing any problem. Further, because of the rollers, even heavy cartridge can be easily slid into and out.
Preferably, supporting rods are placed across said cartridge at its top and bottom portions at right angles to said blow-in surface, several sheet receivers are placed across and carried by said supporting rods with spacers between the sheet receivers, said sheets are supported by own top and bottom edges tightly inserted respectively into each of said sheet receivers facing each other at top and bottom.
In this case, because of being supported by sheet receivers, sheets are stable without flapping in condition pressured by wind and ensure keeping space their between. Therefore deodorizing efficiency is improved.
Preferably, above said cartridge, the apparatus has partition members which is tightly inserted into grooves on each top side of said sheet receivers and stretch along said sheet receivers and whose top edge portions are close to a source of flow water.
In this case, water is uniformly supplied to the sheets and a good condition for growth of microorganisms can be kept.
Preferably, said nozzle header is made of transparent materials and, at ceiling panel overlaid upper surface of top located said cartridge, fixed covering nozzles fixed through said ceiling panel, and rotor blades rotate by water flow are placed across opening portions of said nozzles at side near to said nozzle header.
In this case, because it can be checked visually if water stops flowing, it is possible to inspect easily if the apparatus operate perfectly.